


Fireworks

by Cam719



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode: s05e03 Jefferson Lives, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-08-17
Updated: 2009-08-17
Packaged: 2019-05-15 10:45:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14789051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cam719/pseuds/Cam719
Summary: Post Ep for Jefferson Lives





	Fireworks

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Title: Fireworks  
Author: Cathy Miller (www.cathyswestwing.com)  
Category: Post-ep to Jefferson Lives  
Rating: R  
Disclaimer: Not my characters, not my money  
Feedback: why not?

A/N: Fireworks are exploding and my poor puppy is howling. I decided to focus on another  
kind of fireworks.

Donna had a sick feeling in her stomach. She shouldn’t be surprised, it happened every time  
Amy Gardner was around. However, the pain seemed to be getting more intense.

She could pinpoint when it started too. It was when she’d overheard a conversation between  
Josh and Amy.

*flashback*

JOSH  
You have other fortes.

AMY  
What's that supposed to mean?

JOSH  
Nothing. I didn't mean that.

AMY  
You absolutely meant that.

JOSH  
Okay, maybe I did.

AMY  
Careful what you start.

Donna’s stomach nearly revolted at what she was heard. He could not be drawn in by that  
…woman again. She’d barely survived it the last time. It was probably just a momentary  
aberration. Things had been crazy since Zoey was kidnapped. The moment would pass; it  
had to.

*present*

Donna acknowledged the situation was getting worse. The signs were everywhere. Amy  
looked smug, Josh looked smitten. Something had to be done. She just wasn’t sure what that  
something was. Donna let out a deep breath and tried to get her stomach to settle down.

Josh had been struggling to find a Vice-Presidential nominee when the President’s first  
choice, Berryhill, had been shot down. He’d been tense and withdrawn all day. When he told  
her he was going outside to watch the fireworks, she had been pleased. She knew Josh’s  
cues, and if he was going out and about with people, it meant he was beginning to get out of  
his funk. Her step got lighter as she moved around the office finishing up some paperwork. If  
she hurried, she could go out and join him for some of it. Then SHE sauntered in.

“Where’d Josh go?” Amy asked without even looking at Donna. Amy had acted this way with  
her ever since the night of Zoey’s kidnapping. Amy had asked Donna if she was in love with  
Josh and Donna had hesitated just a second to long before she had replied ‘no’.

“I’m not sure.” Donna lied without a moment’s hesitation. Now Amy’s head swung over to  
assess the expression on Donna’s face. Donna was careful to keep her expression neutral  
and unconcerned. After 20 charged seconds, Amy turned away; presumably to continue her  
search for Josh. As soon as Amy moved out of the bull pen. Donna hurried outside where the  
staffers had gathered to watch the fireworks.

Her eyes scanned the bodies along the railing which were only visible in silhouette because  
of the fireworks display. Still she had no trouble picking out the form of Josh Lyman.

As she approached him, she heard him speaking in angry tones to Toby.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!”

“I wish I were.” Toby replied.

Now josh was shaking his head looking disgusted. Donna, who had focused all her energy on  
finding Josh before Amy did, now wasn’t sure what to do or say.

“What’s wrong?” she asked as she approached them.

“The President has made a decision about the VP nomination.” Toby said quietly.

“Who?” it had to be bad if Josh’s reaction was anything to go by.

“Bingo Bob!” Josh said a little too loudly and Tobu hushed him.

“I need to get out of here.” Josh noted and Donna took that as her cue.

“Let’s take a walk.” She suggested.

“Where?” Josh looked at her like she lost her mind.

“Nowhere in particular. It’s a beautiful summer night and you need to walk off some energy.”  
She reasoned.

“Fine.” Josh agreed and followed Donna away from the crowd.

They had almost turned the corner when Amy Gardner came outside. She caught a fleeting  
glimpse of Josh and the woman he was with. Her eyes narrowed and she started to follow  
them when Leo waylaid her with a question about funding for violence prevention. She could  
do nothing but watch as Josh and Donna disappeared from view.

Josh still had the glass of champagne in his hand and they hadn’t walked 20 feet when  
Donna took it out of his hand and drank some herself. The action made Josh chuckle.

“Sure Donna, you can have some of my champagne.” He said sarcastically. “Thanks for  
asking first.”

“It’s not like you were drinking it.” She replied haughtily.

“I should be. I should be drinking that glass and several others. Bob Russell? What was the  
President thinking?” Josh wondered out loud. “Maybe I should go up and talk to him a  
minute.” Josh looked up at the Truman balcony and was startled to see the man himself  
standing there. Donna noticed the President as well.

“He looks so sad.” Donna remarked. “Dr. Bartlet and Zoey left for New Hampshire a couple  
hours ago. I don’t think right now is a good time to talk to him about Russell.”

“Probably not.” Josh agreed and turned back to look at Donna as she took another swallow  
from his glass. “Can I have my drink back please?”

“Sure.” Donna handed it back to him. “I was only trying to protect you and your sensitive  
system.

“God, would you stop saying that?” Josh complained and took a drink himself. He could see  
where Donna’s lipstick had left a mark on the rim. He wondered if he drank from that spot if  
he would be able to taste Donna there. Shit! Where had that thought come from?

Donna watched the play of emotions run across Josh’s face and wondered what he was  
thinking about. But she didn’t ask him. Instead she changed to a completely different subject.

“Do you think you could give me a ride home? I wasn’t planning on staying so late, and I didn’  
t bring my car.”

“Yeah, why not? I’m ready to leave now anyway.” He told her.

“Then if you’re driving, you really shouldn’t have the rest of this.” Donna indicated his glass,  
took it from him and drained it in 5 seconds flat. She got an immediate buzz from drinking on  
an empty stomach. Josh laughed at her again and walked back to his office with her in tow.

They’d barely stepped into the bullpen when Amy called out his name.

“Hey J. I was looking for you.” She told him. “Thanks for finding him for me Donna.”

Donna wasn’t sure how to respond to that so she didn’t respond at all. Josh continued into  
his office and Donna walked past it and went to her desk. From there, she could hear every  
word they said to each other.

“What do you need, Amy? If it’s violence prevention again-“

“It’s not. I can take care of myself, politically speaking.” Amy replied. “It’s taking care of myself  
personally where I could use your help.” She practically purred and Donna felt her stomach  
roll again.

“I’m just heading home. It’s been a long day, Amy.”

“I can go with you. We can pick up where we left off in your office earlier.” She offered and  
Donna immediately wonders what happened in Josh’s office earlier and where she had been  
when it occurred.

“That’s a delightful offer, really, but not tonight. I’m just going to drop Donna off and go  
home.” Josh told her as he picks up his backpack.

“Donna? You’re not too tired for Donna but you’re too tired for me?”

“I’m dropping Donna off, Amy, that’s all.”

“Not if she has her way.” Amy muttered and Donna felt her heart stop.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Just that your lovesick secretary may have grander aspirations than to be dropped off at her  
door.” Amy said simply. Donna had to sit down since her legs would no longer hold her.

“Amy, I don’t have the patience for this right now. Can we save this fight for another time?”

“That’s not quite the tune you were singing earlier when you kissed me.”

“A move I’m sincerely regretting at this moment.” Josh quipped.

“Or is it that you’ve got another offer? A better offer? Maybe someone who’s a little easier to  
manage than I am?”

“Well that could be just about anyone, couldn’t it?” Josh returned.

“Yeah, except it was Donna that you were out taking a late night stroll with. Did she finally  
confess her undying love for you?” Amy is getting louder and shriller as she continued.

“God, Amy, we’re in the West Wing. Could you keep your voice down?” Josh was acutely  
aware that Donna was probably still sitting outside his office. She didn’t need to be subjected  
to this.

When Donna heard Josh’s remark, she realized he was aware of her presence just outside  
his office. She had to leave, now. She hurried back outside and grabbed another glass of  
champagne and quickly downed half of it before she moved to stand next to Will.

“Will!” she said with false cheer. “How is your first 4th of July in the White House?”

“Pretty amazing.” He admitted and smiled at her. Donna was funny and cute as hell, but he’d  
heard stories about her and Josh. He had in fact witnessed some of events that were now  
being gossiped about. Inauguration night, for example, had been an eye opening experience.  
There was obviously something between the Deputy Chief of Staff and his assistant, but what  
it was exactly was unclear. Until it was clear to Will, he was treading very carefully with Donna.  
Nonetheless, he was amused when she drained the rest of the contents of her glass and  
picked another from a tray being carried by a waiter who was circulating through the crowd.

“Uh, Donna, you’re not driving, are you?”

“Oh no, I didn’t drive today.” She assured him, but now he was worrying about her taking  
public transportation in D.C. when she was drinking so much. While Will was trying to decide  
how to proceed, Josh was trying to figure out how to disentangle himself from Amy.

“Are you afraid Donna will hear me?” Amy surmised correctly. “Maybe she should; maybe we  
should ask her in to join us. It’s not like it’s ever been just the two of us in this relationship.  
Donna has always been smack dab in the middle, hasn’t she?”

“I don’t like what you’re accusing me of.” Josh said hotly. “I have never been involved with  
Donna that way.”

“No? Maybe not physically, but you’ve been intimate with her mentally, emotionally.”

“I don’t even know what that means, but it sounds bad.” Josh deadpanned.

“Oh it is, particularly when it’s with your assistant and you work in the White House.” Amy  
agreed.

“I think I’m done here, Amy. In fact I know I am. Have a good night.” Josh concluded the  
conversation and walked out of his office, relieved to find Donna was not there. He walked  
through the building quickly, hoping to find Donna fast and get out of the West Wing before  
Amy got started on round two. It was true that Amy was smart and beautiful and he would be  
lying if he said he wasn’t attracted to her; he was, as evidenced by the way he’d kissed her  
earlier in his office. Still, every time he got too close to her, he remembered what it was about  
her that made him tired; she could be a complete bitch when she wasn’t happy about  
something, real or imagined.

Blaming Donna because he didn’t want to go home with her? It was too much. He and Donna  
didn’t have that kind of relationship and they never could while she worked for him. Wait a  
second. Did that mean that if she didn’t work for him, they might have that kind of a  
relationship? Josh shook his head with fatigue and confusion. Amy had planted ideas in his  
head, that’s all. Donna wasn’t interested in him that way; they were friends and that was all.  
Yet, Amy seemed pretty insistent that Donna felt more for him than friendship. Could she be  
right?

That was the thought in his head when he stumbled upon Donna, who was leaning way too  
close to Will Bailey. Will Bailey didn’t seem to mind the flirtatious behavior, but he wasn’t  
reciprocating either. He looked more amused by the situation than anything else.

“Donna, are you ready to go?” Josh asked her a little impatiently.

“Look Will, it’s Josh.” Donna announced like Will couldn’t see who it was for himself.

“Hi Josh.” Will greeted him laughing. “I take it you’re taking Donna home?”

“Yeah, she didn’t drive today and it’s too late to be taking a bus.”

“Not too mention the fact that there are laws against public intoxication.” Will pointed out and  
Josh’s eyes narrowed on Donna who was swaying a bit on her feet.

“How could you be drunk already, Donna? I just left you a few minutes ago.”

“She’s been using her time effectively.” Will noted. “That’s glass number 3…that I’ve seen  
anyway.”

Josh rubbed his fore head with his right hand. He really didn’t need this tonight.

“Okay, Ado Annie, let’s get you home.”

“No. And I don’t like it when you call me that, Joshua.” Donna turned belligerent in the space  
of a heartbeat. “Will can take me home. Can’t you Will? Then Josh can take Amy home or  
she can take him home. Whichever.” Donna dismisses the logistics of a Josh/Amy hookup  
with an indifferent wave of her hand.

“I’m not going home with Amy, Donna. I promised you a ride. Let’s go.”

“I can give her a ride, Josh. It’s no problem.” Will remarked affably. Josh glared at him.

“Aren’t you here to watch the fireworks?” Josh asked him.

“The floor show is more entertaining.” Will grinned back at him. “Seriously, Josh, it’s no  
trouble. It’s just a ride home; nothing else.” Will thought if he reassured Josh it was just a  
ride, it might smooth things over; it didn’t.

“I told Donna I’d drive her home so I’m going to drive her home. Come on, Donna.” He took  
her by the arm. But she was shaking her head ‘no’ and pulling back from him

“Amy’s not going to like it.” She warned.

“I really don’t care if Amy likes it or not.” Josh tried to pull her forward again.

“Then why did you kiss her?” Donna asked and then covered her mouth with her hand when  
she realized she went too far. Now he’d know she’d been eavesdropping. Is it really  
eavesdropping though if a person hears things when that person is just sitting at their desk  
minding their own business?

Josh replayed the kissing scene in his head and quickly determined that since there hadn’t  
been any doors open at the time, the only way Donna could known he kissed Amy was from  
hearing his conversation with Amy a short while ago. But he didn’t call her on it. Instead, his  
hand dropped from her arm down to her hand and grasped it firmly.

“Let me take you home, Donna, please? I’ll feel better once I know you’re home safe.” Part of  
Donna realized Josh was using her feelings for him to manipulate her. Just as Amy had  
predicted, Donna was much easier to manipulate than Amy was.

“Fine, then.” Donna allowed Josh to tug her by the hand into motion. She called out a  
goodbye to Will, but didn’t say another word all the way home. She just let head fall back on  
the headrest and closed her eyes. When Josh pulled up in front of Donna’s apartment, he  
shut off the engine and came around to her side of the car. He opened her door and  
squatted down to shake her shoulder, thinking she was asleep and needed to be awakened.  
Instead, Donna’s eyes snapped open.

“Why did you kiss her, Josh?” Donna asked and even Josh, as clueless as he sometimes  
was, couldn’t miss the hurt in her voice or in her eyes. “Just tell me why?”

 

“I…I…she was just there.” Josh stammered.

“It’s the White House, Josh. Over a thousand people were there. Why her?” Donna  
rephrased the question, but when she saw him struggle with the answer she shook her head.  
“Never mind. It doesn’t matter, I guess. Thanks for driving me home.” Josh just stood there as  
Donna wobbled a bit up the stairs. She had just opened the front door when he called out to  
her.

“Donna? I don’t have a reason. For ‘why I kissed her’; I don’t have a reason.”

“Maybe you should.” Donna suggested and walked the rest of the way into her apartment  
building.

Josh thought about her words all the way home. Maybe he should have a reason. Maybe he  
did and he just hadn’t figured out what it was. Nah, he really didn’t. Maybe it was just a guy  
thing and guys kissed women because they were attractive, available, and agreeable. He’d  
had to check on that.

He picked up his cell and called California.

“Hello?”

“Do guys kiss women because they’re attractive, available and agreeable?” Josh asked and  
Sam laughed.

“I would hope so, or some sort of criminal charges generally follow. Hi, Josh.”

“Hi. I meant is there supposed to be another reason? Besides the ones I already mentioned.”

“What is this about, Josh?” Sam asked patiently.

“Well Donna asked me why I kissed Amy today and I got kind of stumped, and said because  
she was there and Donna didn’t seem to think that was a good enough reason so-“  
“Hold on! You kissed Amy…today? I thought that was done a long time ago.”

“It was, but I may have started things up again…a bit.” Josh admitted.

“And you kissed her because she was there? Lots of people are there, Josh.”

“That’s what Donna said!” Josh became alarmed when Sam had repeated Donna’s words  
almost verbatim. “Why can’t it be because she was there?”

“Let’s breeze past the very bad judgment call where you tell Donna you kissed Amy.” Sam  
began.

“I didn’t tell Donna. Donna overheard Amy and me talking about it.”

“Even better.” Sam countered. “Josh, I don’t know how to be the one to break it to you, and I  
sincerely would have hoped you knew this already, but ‘because she was there’ is NOT a  
good reason to kiss someone and even less of a good reason to pick things up with  
someone you already determined was wrong for you.”

“Really?” Josh asked uncertainly.

“Really.” Sam confirmed. “You should kiss someone because you’re attracted to them,  
obviously, but also because there’s a connection with them and you feel like it’s the only way  
to be closer to them. You should kiss someone because you want to express how much you  
like them without using words and you should kiss someone because you see a possible  
future with them.”

“Well that’s pretty lofty don’t you think?” Josh said, overwhelmed.

“I am a writer.” Sam explained. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m meeting someone for fireworks  
and depending on how the evening goes, there may or may not be kissing at the end.”

“Huh.” Josh responded. “I still think you may be wrong, but I’ll consider what you said.”

“And they let you help run the country.” Sam teased.

“Really only the domestic policy.”

“That’s reassuring.” Sam replied. “Oh, and after you’re done thinking about what I said, you  
may want to think about what you’re going to say to Donna when you see her tomorrow.  
Goodnight, Josh.” Sam hung up before Josh could reply.

Josh was still processing Sam’s last comment. He’d have to talk to Donna about this again?  
Shit.  
************************************  
The next morning, Donna made her way slowly to her desk. She did not want to be at work  
today. She didn’t want to be at work this week. Maybe she should have called in sick. It  
wouldn’t have even really been a lie. She did feel sick. Now, on top of her stomach her head  
was pounding and she kept hearing voices in her head. Well, one voice, saying ‘because she  
was there’ over and over.

As much as it would have pained her to hear Josh declare how much he liked Amy, she would  
have almost preferred that to having him take up with Amy again because it was expedient;  
Amy was there. ‘Hell, she was there too, wasn’t she?’ Donna thought to herself. Donna tried  
to shake it off. There was work to be done and getting depressed about Josh and Amy wasn’t  
accomplishing anything. Josh would be in senior staff for at least another half hour, she could  
get a lot done in that time. Then she heard her.

“Hey, Donna, got a minute?”

“I’m pretty swamped this morning, Amy.” Donna excused herself.

“I think you can take a minute. We’ll use Josh’s office.” Amy walked right into Josh’s office and  
even sat behind his desk. Donna had worked for Josh too long not to recognize the move for  
the power play that it was, so she walked over to the side of the desk and remained standing;  
two can play that game.

“What can I do for the First Lady’s office?” Donna spoke first and set the agenda, another  
power trick she learned from Josh.

“I’m hoping quite a bit.” Amy smiled. “I have an opening in the First Lady’s office that I think  
would be a great opportunity for you. It’s a jump of a couple pay grades, but after working for  
Josh all these years I have no doubt you could handle it.”

Donna gave Amy a disbelieving look. “You’re offering me a job in the First Lady’s office?”

“You’re way past due for a promotion; Josh knows it, you know it, and I know it. You should  
give it some thought.”

“No, thanks Amy. Was there anything else?”

“God, I didn’t realize it was this bad. You’re so enamored with Josh that you’d turn down a big  
promotion just so you can continue to fetch his coffee?”

“I have never fetched Josh’s coffee.” Donna disputed. “We’re done now.” Donna turned to go.

“He knows you’re in love with him.” Amy taunted. “And yet still it’s me he kisses in this office,  
not you. That’s got to hurt. I’d think you’d jump at the chance to move into another  
department.” Donna smiled grimly as she faced Amy.

“You’ve overplayed your hand, Amy.” Donna explained. “If I’m no threat to you, if you’re so  
confident about your place in Josh’s life, why would you offer me a promotion to get me out of  
Josh’s office? And kissing you in his office? When I asked him why he kissed you, he said  
‘because she was there’. Oh, that’s got to hurt.” Donna sympathized and left Josh’s office,  
walking quickly toward Leo’s office. She’d wait there for Josh, but she would not be subjected  
to any more verbal harassment from Amy Gardner.

As she made her way to Margaret’s desk, that sick feeling threatened to overcome her again.  
She had to have 1,000 sick days accrued by now and she definitely felt sick. She decided  
she was going home.

“Margaret, would you do me a favor and call into HR for a temp for me. I’m going home sick.”

“Sure. Are you okay to drive?”

“Yeah. When Josh gets out you might want to warn him that Amy Gardner is sitting at his  
desk waiting for him.” Donna smiled when Margaret rolled her eyes at that comment.

“I never realized how much the First Lady’s Chief of Staff spent in the West Wing.” Margaret  
noted. “Go home. I’ll take care of getting Josh a temp.”

“Thanks Margaret, I owe you one.” Donna stopped briefly at her desk, gathered her things,  
and went home.

***************************************  
Josh walked out of Leo’s office with C.J. when Margaret gave him the messages from Donna;  
that she was going home sick and that Amy was sitting at his desk waiting for him. C.J.  
snickered.

“Banner day for you Josh.” C.J. teased him as they walked back toward their offices.

“I can handle a temp and Amy Gardner.” He disputed.

“There’s been no evidence of either fact so far.” C.J. argued. “Tell me you aren’t really going  
down that path again.”

“It was one kiss!” Josh exploded. “Why is everyone so bent out of shape over one kiss?”

C.J.’s eyes shot up. “Well that wasn’t defensive at all.”

“Sorry.” Josh thought of something. “Why do women kiss men?”

“You mean in general, or-“ C.J. joked.

“I’m serious. Don’t women ever kiss men just for the hell of it?”

“No, I can’t say that the female of the species generally indulges in that type of sport.” C.J.  
rolled her eyes at him. “For a woman to kiss a man, she’d have to feel something for him.”

“There really should be some kind of class that explains these things to men.” Josh muttered.  
He broke away from C.J. and proceeded to his office where, just as Margaret predicted, there  
was a temp at Donna’s desk, and the First Lady’s Chief of Staff sitting at his desk.

“I think you’re in the wrong office.” He motioned with his head for her to vacate his chair,  
which she did. “In fact, I think you’re in the wrong wing of the White House.”

“I can work anywhere.” Amy closed his door. “I don’t like how we left things last night.”

“Neither do I.” Josh said without looking up at her. “But neither do I like you making  
accusations about me and my assistant.”

“I wasn’t making accusations, J. I was stating facts, and here’s another one: Donna just flat  
turned down a promotion to the First Lady’s office because she’s so involved with you.” Amy  
moved closer to him. “Do you honestly think people don’t talk about you two? It might have  
been cute and endearing when you thought this young, blond, idealistic woman had a crush  
on you, but now it’s morphed into something else and you better be very careful how you  
proceed.”

“Are you threatening me, Amy?”

“I’m warning you Josh. You’re a very high profile person in this administration, with nowhere  
to go but up. Do you really want to throw all that away on an affair with your secretary?”

“Donna is not my-“

“That’s how other people will see it. That’s how other people will report it.”

“Thanks for the insightful summary. Let’s go back to you offering Donna a job in the First  
Lady’s office.”

“I thought it could kill two birds with one stone; give Donna a promotion she deserves and  
remove a source of gossip from your office.”

Josh laughed and rubbed his hand over his eyes. “There’s just no end to the help you’re  
giving me today.” He responded. “Amy. I think it was a mistake, my kissing you yesterday.”

“Because Donna didn’t like it?”

“Because we already tried this once and it was disastrous. I’d had a stressful day on top of a  
stressful week, on top of a stressful month, and you were sitting there with your feet on my  
desk and a watch in your hand and…”

“I was just there?” Amy suggested, but Josh had gotten enough feedback in the last 12 hours  
to know that answer would go over like a lead balloon.

“I acted on an attraction that’s always been there between us.” He amended. “It was wrong to  
use you that way, and I’m sorry. But don’t EVER try to use Donna to get to me or me to get to  
Donna again. Are we clear?”

“You’re making a big mistake, J.” Amy warned.

“It won’t be my first or my last, Amy.” The temp for the day knocked quickly and entered  
announced the arrival of Josh’s next appointment and Amy took the opportunity to leave.

“I’m sorry, what’s your name?” Josh asked the temp.

“Kris.”

”Ok, Kris, show them in. And can you get me 10 minutes with C.J. after this meeting?”

“Sure, Mr. Lyman, do you want some coffee before I bring them back. Everyone says how  
you love your coffee.”

Josh laughed at the irony. “No, thanks Kris. I’m really not craving coffee this morning.”

Kris went to bring the Congressmen back and Josh started mentally formulating how we was  
going to frame his position with C.J. If he could get her on board, he’d feel a lot better about  
everything.  
**************************************  
C.J. just sat there staring at Josh a minute. Then she picked up her phone and dialed an  
extension.

“Can you come in here a minute please?” she said into the phone before she hung it up  
again. 5 seconds later Toby slammed open the door and stomped inside carrying an open  
file in his arms.

“What?” Toby asked impatiently.

“Tell him.” C.J. instructed Josh.

“I really wasn’t planning on- I just wanted to get your opinion on a hypothetical-“

“Josh wants to date Donna.” C.J. announced, tired of Josh’s stammering.

“I never said I wanted to- I asked what would happen HYPOTHETICALLY if someone on the  
senior staff wanted to-“ Josh tried to get out the whole speech again, but this time Toby  
interrupted him.

“What do you want to do?” Toby asked C.J.

“I’d like to play the “White House doesn’t comment” card, but I don’t think it will fly. She needs  
to be transferred; at least on paper.”

“She can’t be a direct report to Josh, but I don’t want to deal with Josh without Donna  
around.” Toby agreed.

“Can I just reiterate that fact that I haven’t said ANYTHING about Donna?”

“I’m just grateful you’ve come to your sense about Amy.” C.J. responded. “Did you know he  
kissed her yesterday?” She turned back to Toby.

Toby hit Josh on the head with one of his files. “You kissed Donna yesterday?!”

“Ouch! No, I kissed Amy yesterday.” Josh defended himself. Toby hit him again.

“What the hell are you kissing Amy for if you want to date Donna?” Toby asked incredulously.

“Because she was there!” Josh was tired of answering that question.

“Is that why you want to date Donna? Because she’s there?” Toby asked. “Because I got to  
tell you Josh, that’s a pretty sucky reason.”

“So I’ve come to understand in the last 12 hours.” Josh stood up. “You know I’m really  
regretting coming to my friends at all on this topic.”

“Sit down, idiot boy.” C.J. ordered.

“I still outrank you, you know.” Josh shot back.

“You came to me for help, you know.” C.J. countered.

“Time out!” Toby yelled. “Josh, you need to work something out with C.J. about how to spin  
this hypothetical dating you’d like to do, then you need to clear it with Leo and get a paper  
transfer for Donna. C.J., you need to stop giving Josh shit and help him if only for Donna’s  
sake. You know he’d screw this up if he’s left to his own devices.”

“Hey!” Josh protested.

Toby just glared back at him. “You hurt that girl or mess this up; me and my Louisville slugger  
will be paying you a visit.” With that parting shot, Toby stomped back to his office.

“Are you going to threaten me too?” Josh asked.

“I think you already know what I will do to you if you hurt Donna.”

“Uh-huh. But you’re still going to help me?”

“I’ll help Donna and if that indirectly helps you, well, I can’t really do anything about that can  
I?” C.J. smiled.  
*******************************  
“Can you explain why I’ve got the First Lady’s Chief of Staff on my call sheet?” Leo asked  
Josh.

“I hope not.” Josh replied.

“Excuse me?”

“There’s certainly not any political reason she should be on your call sheet.” Josh hedged.

“Your personal life is about to make a prominent splash into my work pool isn’t it?”

“As a good friend of both my parents, I’d think you’d just be glad that I HAVE a personal life.”

“I’m AMAZED that you have a personal life, I just don’t like dealing with the repercussion of  
said personal life at work.”

“I can certainly understand that, Leo. I’ll just drop this off and get myself and my personal life  
out of your office.” Josh offered as he placed the paper on Leo’s desk.

“What is that?”

“A transfer for Donna.”

“Josh! So help me God.” Leo exploded. “Do we not have enough to deal with bringing Bing  
Bob on board without-“

“It’s just interdepartmental. No big deal.”

“No big deal unless the press finds out, or no big deal period?” Leo clarified.

“There’s nothing to find out Leo. I swear. This is strictly…pre-emptive.”

Leo holds Josh in a dead eyed start until finally Josh gives in and breaks the contact.

“It’s really important to me, Leo.” He said quietly, more to his friend and mentor than to his  
boss.

Without another word, Leo signed the paper and called for Margaret. When she came in he  
handed the paper to her.

“See that this gets to H.R. right away will you?” Margaret nodded but her eyes went buggy  
when she read what it was. Wisely, though, she said nothing.

“Just tell me the truth. Amy’s going to have some trumped up complaint about Donna  
because she doesn’t like how close you and Donna are, right?”

“Quite possibly.”

“Get out.” Leo moaned and Josh wasted no time following his order.  
**************************************  
Josh had meant to get out of the office earlier; he honestly had. But everything took much  
longer with Kris manning Donna’s desk. She tried hard; he had to give Kris that. She was  
bright and easy to work with, but there was just no way anyone could replace Donna. They  
had developed an almost unspoken communication system and knew each other so well, that  
they could anticipate each other’s moves. Without Donna there today, everything took much  
longer, so really it was Donna’s fault that he was getting to her place so late. He’d be sure to  
point that out to her too.

Josh buzzed Donna’s apartment and there was just a short pause before she answered.

“Hey, it’s me.” Josh spoke into the speaker. When she didn’t respond he added, “I brought  
you some soup.” Again, she didn’t respond, but she did buzz him in.

“You didn’t need to come over.” Donna told him at the door. “It was my own fault. Too much  
champagne last night.”

“You never get hung over.” Josh replied. “It’s one of your most irritating qualities. Are you  
going to let me in?”

Donna pursed her lips like she was thinking about it, then swung the door completely open.  
She was wearing sweats and tank top; her hair piled on top of her head in a messy ponytail.  
She wished quite fervently that she had at least combed it out or had worn different clothes.  
There was no helping that now. Josh was here already and she’d just have to deal with it.

She took a seat in the single chair across from where Josh sat on the couch. Josh didn’t like  
what it said about her frame of mind that she was putting such physical distance between  
them. Her next comment didn’t make him feel any better.

“I’m sorry I smarted off to Amy, but she was really too much; calling me into your office and  
lecturing me like I was a child. I didn’t mean to get you in trouble with her by telling her what  
you said about kissing her, and I’ll apologize to her if you make me, but I won’t mean it.”

Josh blinked. “You told Amy what I said about kissing her?”

“She…didn’t tell you I told her?”

“Nope.”

“Never mind then.” Donna tried and failed to look guileless.

“She must have really baited you to get you to say that.” Josh laughed.

“It’s not funny, Joshua.”

“It really is, Donna. And maybe if you weren’t so close to this you’d see the humor.”

“She was acting like a smug, condescending bitch. I really don’t know what you see in her.”

“Neither do I.” Josh admitted.

“She’s controlling and vindictive and- What did you say?”

“Neither do I…know what I saw in her.” Josh repeated.

“’Saw’ in her? Past tense?” Donna clarified.

“Past tense.” Josh confirmed. “You really made me think last night, Donna. It had been a long  
time since I thought about why I was doing something in my personal life, but that’s a  
perspective you’ve always pointed out to me. I was lonely and stressed; completely  
depressed about not getting Berryhill confirmed. She was there and I knew she’d let me kiss  
her so I did. She was a poor substitute for what I really wanted, what I really needed.”

Donna didn’t know how to respond so she kept silent.

“Let me ask you something Donnatella. Amy came along this morning at a time when I know  
you were disappointed in me, when we haven’t been operating on full cylinders you and I,  
and she offers you a big promotion with more pay and more responsibilities, which you’re  
always bitching about, and best of all, it’s in a completely different wing of the White House  
from me. She said you ‘flat out refused’ to take it. Why?”

“Amy had ulterior motives. She wasn’t offering me the position because she wanted me in  
that position, she offered me the position because she wanted me away from you.”

“That’s why she offered it, but it’s not why you refused it. Why, Donna?”

“Even on our bad days, I’d rather do what I’m doing now with you, than do anything more  
without you.” Donna answered and Josh paused a moment.

“I want you to know I’ve taken a huge amount of crap from any number of people from  
California to D.C. about the reason I gave you for kissing Amy.”

“Can we not talk about you kissing Amy anymore?” Donna requested.

“I’d be glad to drop the subject forever after I say this one thing. Amy is someone I thought I  
should be attracted to. I mean the match up looks good between us on paper, but the reality  
was awful. Then I looked back to the time when I first started dating her. Do you remember  
that?”

“I’ve tried hypnosis to forget it but-“

“Very funny. It was right after we made that deal with Cliff.”

“That I REALLY wish I could forget.”

“Me too, except I think I’ve done such a good job trying to forget it that I didn’t remember  
something really important. When we were sitting on that bench, do you know what was going  
through my head?”

“I should have never hired Donna in Nashua?” Donna suggested.

“I never DID hire you in Nashua. Now shut up. I’m telling this story. We’re sitting on a bench  
freezing our asses off waiting for Cliff the Wonder Republican to finish pawing through your  
diary. All I’m thinking at that point is; Leo is going to hang me by my thumbnails before he  
dropkicks me out of the White House and professional politics forever if he finds out about  
this.”

“Probably pretty accurate.”

“Very accurate; I’ve known Leo since I was a kid. But the funniest thing happened while I was  
imagining this doomsday scenario. I thought about the risk to my career and the  
complications it could bring to the other areas of my life, but it didn’t matter because I knew it  
was what I had to do to protect you. After all, you were in that mess to begin with because  
you were protecting me.”

“I was in that mess to begin with because I lied.” Donna corrected.

“You lied to protect me.” Josh corrected her. “I never read it, but it was all the PTSD stuff  
wasn’t it?” Donna nodded. “So I sat there thinking I would give up everything to protect you  
and that thought kind of scared me. I’ve never been very good with personal relationships,  
but I was pretty sure that wasn’t what bosses were supposed to feel for their assistants. Then  
when I thought about how Calley came to have the information about your diary in the first  
place and I got incredibly angry. I was sure that wasn’t a normal boss/assistant dynamic  
either.”

“Josh, I-“

“Wait. Let me finish. I made a list in my head of all the reasons I shouldn’t feel the things I felt.  
I decided we were spending too much time together. We were too enmeshed in one another’s  
lives. I depended on you too much. We depended on each other too much. I thought if I could  
focus on something else, on someone else, then I could forget those other things I felt.”

“Enter Amy Gardner.” Donna stated.

“The first time I went to her office she asked me about you. She asked me if we were dating. I  
denied it. When she asked me why we weren’t dating I said ‘she’s my assistant’. It occurs to  
me now that it wasn’t any better answer than ‘because she was there’.”

“But it was true. It’s the same reason I agreed to the blind date Ainsley Hayes set up for me  
with Cliff Calley. I couldn’t go out with the one person I really wanted to go out with so I took  
the next best thing.” Donna told him

“I’ve spent a lot of time pretending what’s between us is just friendship, but it’s not.” Josh  
leaned forward trying to close the physical gap between them even as he was trying to close  
the emotional gap. “Sam said something to me last night.”

“You talked to Sam last night?”

“Right after I dropped you off. He confirmed that ‘because she was there’ was a lousy reason  
to kiss a woman. He said that a guy should only kiss a woman when she met certain criteria.”

“And what criteria did Sam give you?”

“He said you should kiss someone because there’s a connection with them and you feel like it’  
s the only way to be closer to them. You should kiss someone because you want to express  
how much you like them without using words and you should kiss someone because you see  
a possible future with them.”

“That sounds like Sam.” Donna noted.

“Just this once he may be right.” Josh smirked. “As I went down Sam’s list, I decided I really  
shouldn’t have kissed Amy at all. She didn’t fit any of those criteria. I was up all night thinking  
about Sam’s damn list. The more I thought about it, the more I realized there was only one  
person in my life that did meet the criteria; that was you.”

“Josh…”

“When I came in this morning I was trying to figure out how to ask you about it without risking  
making an ass out of myself. Then I found Amy in my office and all my problems were solved.  
Well, not all my problems, but my biggest problem.”

“How did Amy sitting in your office solve your biggest problem?” Donna got out of her chair  
and sat next to Josh on the couch, which he took as an encouraging sign. He smiled.

“Remember when you made me watch the girly English movie? From the book you love?”  
Donna looked puzzled at his description. “The one with…all the girls…the mother wanted to  
marry them all off?”

“Are you referring to “Pride and Prejudice”?” Donna asked.

“Yeah! That’s it. Remember how the guy wanted to ask the girl to marry him, but he was  
afraid she’d reject him again. Then his busybody aunt goes to the girl and tries to get her to  
promise not to marry the nephew and she refuses. Then the guy hears the girl refuses to  
promise his aunt she won’t marry the guy and the guy then knows the girl still likes him. It’s  
just like that.” Josh finished, very pleased with himself that he could incorporate Donna’s  
favorite book into their current situation.

“I need a drink.” Donna stated and started to rise from the couch, but Josh pulled her back  
down.

“Don’t you get it? Amy’s the aunt. She tried to get you to take a job with more money and  
more responsibility in exchange for staying away from me and you refused. Just like what’s  
her name…Lizzy refused to promise the aunt.”

“And that was your clue? After all these years and all the…THAT was your clue?”

Josh, sensing she didn’t like that conclusion, changed tactics. “Let’s say it was the final clue.  
It’s what spurred me to take action instead of waiting. God, Donna, I’m so sick of waiting. Aren’  
t you?”

“What action did you take, Joshua?” Donna asked apprehensively.

“I talked to C.J. and Toby about a hypothetical situation that might resemble ours. They’re  
convinced it could be handled quietly and easily. Then I went to Leo. You’re now a direct  
report to the Chief of Staff. Turns out the press and the direct report status were all that was  
standing between us. Now those two things aren’t in the way anymore.”

“Seriously?” Donna asked carefully. “You’re sure?”

Instead of answering her, Josh leaned closer to her and kissed her on the lips. When she  
didn’t protest, he took the kiss deeper. Slowly her arms came around him and splayed across  
his back. Josh maneuvered them until they were lying side by side on the couch wrapped in  
each other’s arms. The kissing went on for some time before they came up for air.

“And I thought all the fireworks were last night.” Donna mentioned and Josh grinned until his  
dimples popped out. He moved toward her for more kissing when his cell phone rang. He  
dropped his head on Donna’s forehead while he reached into his pocket to retrieve the  
phone. He smiled when he saw who was calling.

“Hey, Sam.” Josh greeted his friend. “What’s up?”

“I called to see how things went with Donna today.” Sam told him.

“I’ll have to bring you up to speed on that at a later time. I’m kind of busy right now.” Josh  
explained while he kissed Donna’s neck. Donna giggled.

“Is that Donna?” Sam asked.

“You said I could kiss the woman who met all your criteria, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did.” Sam agreed.

“Well, I found her.” Josh told him.

“I think you found her a long time ago.” Sam teased. “You just didn’t have the right criteria to  
recognize that fact before.

“Maybe.” Josh allowed. “Got to go Sam. We’ve enjoying fireworks over here.” Josh hung up  
on Sam who looked confused for a minute before he understood what kind of fireworks his  
friend had been referring to. It looked like July 4th wasn’t the only night for fireworks in D.C


End file.
